Waldorf, MD., Aug. 12, 2017) – The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (13-21) fell in a rain-shortened game against the Long Island Ducks (18-14) 9-5, being called after eight innings of play.
After a pair of scoreless innings started the game, the Ducks were able to strike first in the top of the third inning. Dan Lyons led off with a single, followed by back-to-back walks to load the bases with nobody out. Lew Ford into a fielder’s choice, with Patrick Palmeiro cutting down Lyons trying to score. Ruben Gotay came up with the bases still loaded, and came through with a single to center, scoring a pair of runs. Elmer Reyes doubled two batters later, scoring Ford to put the Ducks ahead 3-0.
Russo sat down eight in a row from that point, before running into trouble with one out in the sixth. Elmer Reyes walked to start the rally, moving up to second on a single from Alex Burg. Giovanny Alfonzo followed with a single, scoring Reyes, and leading to Russo being pulled from the game. Cody Hebner can on first out of the bullpen, walking the first batter he faced to load the bases. Berry was next in line, singling up the middle to score Burg and Alfonzo. Delta Cleary Jr. singled in the next at-bat, scoring Lyons and leading to Hebner being pulled as well.
Rob Carson was next out of the bullpen, walking Lew Ford on four straight pitches to start his outing. A Gotay sacrifice fly to center allowed Berry to score, the fifth run in the inning. Derrick Pyles followed that with his first hit as a member of the Ducks, a double down the third base line that scored Cleary Jr, putting Long Island ahead 9-0.
The Ducks starter Jake Dunning (1-0) was promptly removed with his nine-run advantage, exiting after five scoreless innings. The bullpen worked a scoreless sixth, before the Blue Crabs began to fight back in the seventh. Devon Rodriguez singled to start it off, before Cory Vaughn clubbed a two-run homerun to get the Blue Crabs on the board. Tucker Nathans followed with a walk, before John Lannan was finally able to record back-to-back outs.
With two outs, Jose Lozada fought a single through the infield, keeping the inning alive for Southern Maryland. Edwin Garcia doubled to left field, scoring Nathans and Lozada, before Lannan was lifted in favor of Zac Treece. Treece gave up a single to the first man he saw, as L.J. Hoes drove in Lozada. The inning finally ended on a fielder’s choice, but the Blue Crabs had cut the deficit all the way to 9-5.
The rain then began to come down in the eighth, as the Blue Crabs were threatening again. With two outs in the inning, Long Island called on southpaw Patrick Crider to sit down the lefty Nathans at the plate. Nathans fought the count full, before picking up his third single of the game. Luis Alen followed with a single of his own, putting two on with two outs, before Crider could finally get out of the jam.
Immediately after the out was recorded to end the eighth, the tarp was called onto the field. The rain continued to pour down, leading to the game being called for the second day in a row due to rain. Long Island walked away with the 9-5 win, extending the Blue Crabs losing streak to a season-high six games.
The Blue Crabs return to action Sunday, August 13th for the series finale of the four-game series against the Ducks. Southern Maryland will send RHP Eric Fornataro (0-2, 7.61) to the mound, looking to salvage a game in the series. He will matchup with Long Island’s RHP Alfredo Simon (2-3, 4.68). First pitch in the game scheduled for 2:05 P.M. on Sunday at Regency Furniture Stadium.
For more information on the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, or to reserve your seat today for any of the Blue Crabs upcoming home games, please visit our website at somdbluecrabs.com or call us at 301-638-9788.